Co fire extinguishing system



C. F. SMITH cog FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM April 23, 1935.

Filed May 19, "1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 c. F. SMITH CO2 FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM A ril 23, 1935.

' 2' Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 19, 1952 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Apr. 23, 1935' UNITED STATES PATENT orrics 7 1,998,594 CO2 FIRE, sxrmouisnmo SYSTEM Application May 19, 1932, Serial No. 612,173

18 Claims.

This invention relates to fire extinguishing systems of the kind which comprises a battery of flasks containing liquid 002 or the like and closed by ruptu-rable sealing discs, which are simulta- 5 neously opened or punctured to discharge the gas from all of the flasks through the manifold and its connected piping tothe point of application to the fire. The object is the simplification of such systems and the reduction of the installation and maintenance costs thereof. In these systems, as heretofore organized, the process of installation and also of recharging them has been complicated and expensive by the fact the flasks are not all of equal height, that is to say, the discharge valves or heads screwed into their topsare not at a uniform level when the flasks are set upon a floor or platform as customary. This variation arises from the fact that the flasks themselves vary somewhat in length and their heads are screwed into them to different extents according as may be necessary to make them adequately tight against the high internal pressure. Such varying dimensions have required precise individual adjustment of each heavy flask so as to bring it into pipe-coupling registry with its manifold connection, or else the 'tubes'connecting the flasks to the manifold have had to be made of bendable copper or flexible structure which adds a considerable item to the expense. Also, and for the same reason, similar difiiculties are encountered in properly correlating the discharge heads, and more particularly their discopening members, to the common actuating system by which such members are simultaneously operated to produce discharge. In such systems the actuating mechanism has been mounted directly on the discharge heads themselves and when recharging is necessary, that is, when the empty flasks are to be substituted by filled flasks, the whole actuating system has to be more or less completely dismantled and then set up again in proper accommodation to the varying dimensions of the new set of flasks, an operation practically equivalent to setting up a new installation so far as the labor bill is concerned. The process of weighting the flasks to check them as to loss by leakage involves corresponding labor and inconvenience.

This invention eliminates these common difficulties by supporting the flasks not on their bottoms as heretofore, but on or by their respective discharge heads, all placed on a common immovable support properly designed to receive them. Inasmuch as such heads are made of uniform and standard dimensions, each one when the thus engaged with the common support, will have its gas outlet boss in the same uniform relation to such support as all the others and hence in a uniform fixed relation to the discharge manifold which is mounted on or in fixed relation 5 to the support, and will also have its disc opening member in a fixed and uniform relation to the actuating mechanism for such members, which mechanism is also mounted on or in fixed relation to the same common sup-port. Thus 10 when any flask, regardless of its height or dimensions, or the extent to which its head has been screwed into it, is mounted on the support in this manner it thereby comes immediately into correot position on the base not only for easy and quick coupling of its gas outlet to the manifold, but also into correct position for the operation of its cutter member by the actuating system without requiring any adjusting or shimmingof the heavy flasks or any bending or fitting of their connector tubes, thereby saving much time that would otherwise be consumed in adjusting and fitting the parts, both on the initial installation and on all subsequent rechargings. Ordinary inexpensive iron pipe connectors are practical to be 25 used in this system to connect the discharge heads to the manifold, and these may be short in length, promoting compactness of the system, since they do not-have to be bent or strained in making up the union joints. In recharging, the 30 actuating system forthe disc cutters. does not have to be disturbed or touched beyond resetting it if already operated. The flasks may be installed in any number or arrangement, either erect or inverted, as described and preferably they are inverted, because in such case they do not require an internal syphon tube which is necessary when they are erect and for other reasons. The kind of actuating mechanism used for simultaneously operating the disc-openers may be of any suitable type, electrical, pneumatic gravity or manual as desired. The invention also comprises special features of organization and system actuation which are useful and advan- 45 tageous without regard to the particular nature of the flask mounting or of the manifold connections and which promote reliability of action in and economies of maintenance, as will presently become apparent. 50

For purposes of illustration, the drawings hereto illustrate an inverted battery of flasks having an actuatingsystem of the improved kind just referred to.

Fig; 1 is a side elevation of such a battery comprising four flasks, although it will be understood that the number is unlimited.

Fig. 2 is a section thereof on plane between flasks.

Fig. 3 an end elevation at the operating end,

Fig. 4 a plan View, and

Fig. 5 a detail of the connector tube.

The common supporting base of the system is represented in Fig. l as a plate or platform 5 on which is fixed a series of immovable pedestals or flask mountings 2, each of which is provided with a horizontal crossway or slot forming ledges The inverted flasks are set with their heads I} resting on these ledges and with their disc opening members 5 projecting downwarcly into the slot or chamber between the ledges within the pedestal. The upper ends of the flasks so placed are confined and steadied in a cage structure 5, which can be made of ordinary piping or angle bars as indicated, and so as to hold the flasks against tipping. The side bars of the cage are easily removable to permit quick removal of the cylinders when re-charging is necessary and the spacers rest removably on the side bars to space the flasks apart.

The discharge manifold 8 is located preferably close to the pedestals 2 and desirably secured to them as indicated or to the base, or otherwise supported in flxed relation thereto. This manifold, it will be understood, is extended via pipe 9 to the point where the fire extinguishing gas is to be delivered. It is provided with short connector tubes to receive the gas from each of the flasks. These connectors are located parallel with the pedestal cross slots or ledges 3 and so that they will register with the threaded outlet bosses [6 on the flask discharge heads 4 when the latter have been placed of the pedestals. They are composed of an ordinary pipe union H and a male nipple l2 having a hexed portion by which it is easily screwed into the head as indicated in the drawings. When this has been done, it will be obvious that tightening the ring nut M will draw the flask along its slot until it comes to its flnal position on the pedestal. This form of connection is quickly made and Without need of bending or straining the connector 2 on which account the latter may be made of ordinary iron pipe fittings as stated with corresponding saving in expense over the copper tubing or flexible metallic hose heretofore proposed.

When the flask is thus in position, its downwardly projecting disc-opening member 5 is located directly over and with a proper and predetermined clearance from the active arm of a lever 13, pivoted on the pedestal and connected for operation by a push link I4. All of the levers l3 may be connected to the common link i4 and are so shown in the drawings. These levers and the linkage represent the common actuating system for simultaneously opening all of the flasks on the pedestals and discharging them into the manifold, being Wholly carried on the pedestal or base, or at least in fixed relation to the ledges 3 and being wholly independent of the flasks themselves, and not concerned in their means of support.

The particular design of the flask discharge head is of no particular consequence to the invention, so long as it provides a secure closure for the flask, which can be opened by the common actuating system and so long also as it has a gudgeon, shoulder or part by which it can be rested or supported on the fixed pedestal with its disc-opening member 5 in position for engagement and operation by the associated member of the actuating system. In the present case the upward movement of the member 5 punches a hole in the flask sealing disc which is Within the head, firmly clamped over the outlet from the flask into the head. The general construction is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5 and is well known in the art. The flasks are sufliciently heavy, each weighing nearly 200 lbs. not to be displaced by the upward thrust of the punch.

The power for operating the common actuating system is derived in the present case from the weight of one of the flasks of the battery which, for this purpose is rested, inverted, on a hinged shelf or support l5, which is pivoted on a special pedestal i6 and retained in its normal horizontal position by a latch ll. Pulling the latch lets the flask drop upon the arm of a bell crank l8 which it strikes by its disc-opener 5, producing two effects; first the gravitational energy of the fall ing flask is imparted by the bell crank to the push link i4, thus operating all the disc-punches connected thereto; second, the impact of the flask on the bell crank it drives its own disc-punch upwards, thereby discharging the falling flask into the manifold to which it is connected by a flexible metallic hose is. This method of utilizing the weight of one or more of the flasks for discharging the Whole battery, forms the subject of my prior application Ser. No. 5i9,075 and is not herein claimed except as applied to batteries of immovable flasks on fixed supports and in combination with the common actuating systems thereof in which relation it has advantages not available in the structure of said prior application.

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be observed that by backing off the ring nut H the flask is thereby rendered free of any restraint to vertical movement so that it can be'weighed in place without removing it from the cage structure, the flask sliding in and guided by the cage structure during this operation. The style of joint, which permits this operation, constitutes a feature of the invention, as applied to the battery described. The weighing can be done in any suitable way as by applying a forked scale beam, such as indicated at 23 in Fig. 2, to the neck part of the flask, thereby lifting it slightly off the pedestal while its upper end is supported by the cage structure.

It will be apparent from the exempliflcation above given that the principles of the invention can be incorporated in various types of batteries, different in arrangement and design from that shown in the drawings. No limitation to such structure is intended except as specifically pointed out in the claims hereto.

I claim:

1. In a system as described, a flask of compressed gas, having a discharge head containing the flask closure, a support on which said flask is rested by its said head, a discharge pipe associated in fixed relation to said support, a rigid connector tube permanently positioned and adapted for separable connection to the discharge head placed on said support, said tube having a joint which when opened permits free vertical movement of said flask with reference to said support, actuating mechanism on said support unattached to the head thereon and adapted for operation to open the closure thereof and means for applying operating power to said actuating mechanism.

2. In a system of the kind described, a plurality of flasks having discharge heads containing the closures of the flasks, a base on which oneor more of said flasks are mounted in a fixed position and one or more in a movable position, a discharge manifold for all of the: flasks having connector meanspositioned and adapted for connection with the discharge heads thereof and an actuating system for opening the flask closures having a member located in a position to be operated by the gravitational movement of a movable flask, and means for releasing said flask to allow its gravity toact on said member and means whereby thefalling-flask is discharged into said manifold. 3. In a system of the kind described, a'plur'ality of flasks having discharge heads containing the closures and closure openers of the flasks, one or more of said flasks being mounted in a fixed position and one or more in a movable-position and an actuating system for the closure openers of the flxed flasks including a member arranged to be operated by the closure opener of a movably supported flask, and means for releasably sustaining'said last mentioned flask said flask having itsownolosure opener arranged to be itself operated by the gravitational movement of the flask when it falls on release.

4.".In' a system as described, a plurality of flasks having discharge heads containing the flask closure means and the closure openers therefor, a supporting structure on which said flask-s are supported by their said heads, a discharge manifold associated in fixed relation to said structure with a separable connector means positioned and adapted for connection to the several flasks on said structure, said structure being formed with slots or ways along which said heads may be moved to'accommodate the making up of saidconnections and'means for operating said closure openers.

5. In a system for discharging highly compressed gas,.a fixed horizontal supporting base, a row ofgas flasks normally immovably mounted thereon, saidflasks having discharge heads af-- fixed thereto and containing. flask-closures and closure-opening means and having gas outlets, amanifold common to all of said flasks and connected to .all of said gas outlets, the connections including rigidtubes with joints which when opened permit free vertical movement of the respective flasks, a cag e structure for laterally supporting said flasks arranged to permitfree vertical movement thereof when disconnected from said manifold, and an actuating system for said closure-opening means} normally unattached to said heads'but constructedfor operation to actuate all said closure-opening means.

6. In a -system for discharging highly compressed gas, a fixed horizontal supporting base, a row of gas flasks respectively having discharge heads aflixed thereto which contain flask-closures and closure-opening means and being normally immovably mounted on said fixed base, a manifold common to all'of said flasks connected to all of said heads, a cage structure about said row including removable spacers between the flasks thereof, and an actuating system constructed for actuating all said opening means.

7. In a system for discharging highly compressed gas, a fixed supporting base, a row of gas flasks having discharge heads afl'ixed thereto and containing flask-closures and closure-opening means and immovably supported on said base with their heads down, a manifold extending along said base adjacent the heads having lateral connections respectively thereto, said supporting base carrying all of said flasks and said manifold connections being free of strain from such weight,

an actuating system supported on said base independently of the flasksthereon and comprising. actuating lever arms one for each of the closure-opening means of said flasks, and means for applying power to said system for discharging all said flasks.

8. In a system for discharging gas, a fixed base, a normally immovable gas flask thereon, a

H 9. In a system for discharging highly compressed gas, a fixed base, a normally immovable gas flask thereon, and. a releasably sustained gas flask arranged to'fall when released having a head containing a flask closure and a closureopening means, said means being arranged to receive the impact of the falling extinguisher thereby to open said flask when it falls, an actuating member for the other flask arranged in the path of said falling flaskand adapted to be moved thereby and cause the'discharge of said flask, a common pipe intowhich both of said flasks deliver their gaseous contents and means for releasing the releasably sustained flask.

10. In a system for discharging highly compressedgas, a flxed supporting base, a row of gas flasks having discharge heads aflixed thereto and containing flask-closures and closure-opening means and immovably supported on said base with their heads down, a manifold extending along said base adjacent to the flask heads thereon and having connections respectively thereto, an actuating system comprising actuating members one for each of the closure-openingmeans of said flasks, a releasably supported flask connected to said manifold by a flexible connector tube, means for releasing said flask to allow it to fall on its closure-opener thereby opening said flask, said actuating system having a memher in the path of said falling flask constructed to be operated thereby to release the gas from the immovable flasks, and a cage structure form- 1 ing a lateral support for said flasks constructed to permit the gravitational movement of said releasable flask. I

11. In a system of the kind described a plurality of flasks of compressed gas having discharge heads with discharge outlets, closures Within said heads and closure openers therefor, an immovable supporting structure on which said flasks are mounted by engagement of their head structures therewith, a discharge manifold having connector means associated in fixed relation to said supporting structure, and respectively correlated with said discharge outlets so as to be capable of connection therewith after said heads have been placed on said supporting structure, and an actuating system common to said flasks for operating their respective closure openers While they are supported on said supporting structure, said system being supported independently of said flasks, and in such fixed relation to said supporting structure as to be capable of operating the respective closure openers when the discharge outlets of the flasks have been connected to said connector means.

12. In a systernof the kind described a plurality of flasks of compressed gas having discharge heads with discharge outlets, closures within said heads and closure openers therefor, an immovable supporting structure on which said flasks are mounted by engagement of their head structures therewith, a discharge manifold mounted in fixed relation to said supporting structure and provided with rigid connector tubes directed towards, and so positioned with relation to, said discharge outlets as to be capable of connection therewith after said heads have been placed on said supporting structure, and'an actuating system common to said flasks for operating their respective closure openers while they are supported on said supporting structure, said system being supported independently of said flasks, and in such fixed relation to said supporting structure as to be capable of operating the respective closure openers when the discharge outlets or" the flasks have been connected to said connector means.

13. In a system of the kind described a plurality of flasks of compressed gas having discharge heads .with discharge outlets, closures within said heads and closure openers therefor, an immovable supporting structure on which said flasks are mounted by engagement of their head structures therewith, a discharge manifold associated in fixed relation to said supporting structure, and provided with rigid connector tubes directed towards, and so positioned with relation to, said discharge outlets as to be capable or connection therewith after said heads have been placed on said supporting structure, said tubes having joints which when opened permit free vertical movements of their respective flasks with reference to said supporting structure, and an actuating system common to said flasks for operating their respective closure openers while they are supported on said supporting structure.

14. In a system of the kind described a plurality of flasks of compressed gas having discharge heads provided with supporting shoulders and with discharge outlets, disc-closures within said heads and disc openers therefor, a supporting structure provided with seats to be engaged by and support the shoulders of said heads, a discharge manifold fixed on said supporting structure and provided with rigid connector tubes respectively directed towards and spaced prede-' termined uniform distances from said seats, said distances corresponding to the spacing between the shoulders and discharge outlets respectively, of said heads so that said tubes are registered with said outlets by placing the shoulders on said seats, and means for coupling said tubes to said outlets when so registered.

15. In apparatus as described, a flask of compressed gas having a discharge head containing the flask-closure and its opener and formed with a shoulder or transverse surface suited for carrying the whole weight of the flask, said head also having a gas outlet spaced from said shoulder, a support for said flask constructed as a seat to receive said shoulder, a discharge pipe mounted in fixed relation to said support and having a coupling directed toward and spaced from said seat a distance corresponding to the spacing between said shoulder and gas outlet, and means in fixed relation to said support for transmitting operating power to said opener.

16. In a C02 fire extinguishing system, the combination of a plurality of flasks of compressed CO2 gas having discharge heads normally confining-the gas pressure therein and flask-openers in said heads, a cage inwhich said flasks are held in spaced relation, said flasks being adapted for vertical weighing movement with reference to said cage, actuating mechanism for transmitting power to all said openers to operate the same, said mechanism being normally unattached to said heads or openers and a manifold common to said flasks and connected to the respective heads by separable joints which when open permit said vertical movement.

17. A CO2 fire extinguishing system comprising a row of flasks of CO2 or like gas having discharge heads normally confining the gas pressure therein,a manifold common to said flasks and separably connected to the respective heads thereof, actuating means common to said flasks for opening said heads, and a fixed cage structure surrounding said flasks comprising longitudinal side bars and cross bars movably mounted on the side bars and constituting spacers between adjacent flasks. I

18. In a C02 fire extinguishing system a row of flasks of compressed 002 or like gas, with discharge heads normally confining the gas pressure therein, a base on which said flasks are supported with their heads down, a manifold to which said heads are separably connected, means for conjointly opening said heads and. a cage structure for laterally supporting said flasks comprising side bars and cross bars movably mounted on said side bars between adjacent cylinders and serving as spacers therefor.

CARLISLE F. SMITH.

CERTEFECA'EE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,998,594. Aprii 23, 1935.

CARLISLE F. SMITH.

It is hereby certified that errer appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring eerreetien as follows; Page i, first column, line 46, fer "weighting" read weighing; second column, line 1, strike Giif "the" first eceurrenee; and iine 35, fer "described" reed desired; and page 2, first column, line 38, f01'0f" read on; and that tire said Letters Patent should be read with these correetiens therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 11th day 0f June, A. D. i935.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

